About this role
UTHealth Houston is seeking an experienced research administration leader to serve as either Assistant Director or Director of Sponsored Contracts, with title commensurate with experience. This leadership role oversees and mentors the Sponsored Contracts team, serves as an Authorized Institutional Official, and ensures the timely negotiation and execution of research agreements in compliance with applicable regulations and institutional policies. The successful candidate will negotiate complex research agreements, provide guidance on contractual terms, including intellectual property, data ownership, publication rights, and regulatory requirements, and partner closely with faculty investigators to support the University's research mission. This position also plays a key role in developing staff expertise, strengthening operational processes, and enhancing customer service. We are particularly interested in candidates with experience working in an academic health center, health sciences university, medical school, research-intensive university, academic medical center, or other biomedical research organization. A deep understanding of the research enterprise, along with the ability to engage effectively with senior faculty and scientific leaders, will be critical. Candidates who can understand the scientific objectives underlying research collaborations and translate them into successful contractual outcomes will be especially competitive. Preferred Qualifications: • Doctoral degree in a scientific discipline preferred. • At least six years of experience negotiating and administering research contracts, preferably within an academic or medical research environment. • Strong knowledge of research contracting, intellectual property, data rights, and sponsored research administration. • Experience supporting faculty investigators and research leadership. • Demonstrated ability to mentor, train, and develop research administration professionals. • Experience with NIH-funded research and federal sponsor requirements preferred. This hybrid position requires a minimum of one day per week on campus, with additional in-office presence as needed to support university operations. We are seeking a collaborative leader who is passionate about advancing research and developing the next generation of sponsored contracts professionals. What sets candidates apart: Candidates who distinguish themselves will possess the rare ability to bridge science and administration. They will have experience partnering directly with faculty investigators and scientific leaders to understand the research objectives underlying complex collaborations and translate those objectives into thoughtful contractual solutions that accelerate discovery while safeguarding the University's legal, financial, regulatory, and intellectual property interests. What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’s resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in. Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:
• 100% paid medical premiums for our full-time employees • Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equate to around 37-38 days per year) • The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue! • Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service) • Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan! We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...
• Free financial and legal counseling • Free mental health counseling services • Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs • Other employee discounts, including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc. • Resources for child and elder care • Plus many more! Position Key Accountabilities:
• Establishes strong relationships with research faculty and staff by providing clear instructions and guidance and resolving complex contracting terms, collaborations, and issues; providing expert guidance on complex justifications, documentation, and policy interpretations while implementing systems to enhance collaboration and streamline communication across all stakeholders; interpreting and communicating changes in procedures and policies affecting contracts and award activities to ensure compliance with governmental, university and granting agency requirements. • Independently reviews, drafts, redlines, and negotiates complex research agreements, including but not limited to collaboration agreements, sponsored research agreements, investigator-initiated clinical trial agreements, subawards, material transfer agreements, data use agreements, fee-for-service agreements, and other non-standard agreements. Places strict focus on protecting the university, its assets, and its faculty. Ensures compliance with federal, state, UT System, institutional policies, regulatory obligations, and risk tolerance, particularly regarding intellectual property (IP), data/materials ownership, and compliance requirements. • Serves as a University signature authority and oversees the negotiation and execution of simple to complex contracts on behalf of the University. Acts as a liaison between the principal investigators, the University, collaborators, and funding agencies to address and resolve complex contracting relationships. • Develops and reports the team's metrics and key performance indicators. Analyzes workload trends, identifies process improvements, and guides leadership on resource allocation and performance optimization. • Creates and conducts a variety of training programs, webinars, and presentations for schools, departments, research faculty, and staff. Leads the curriculum development and updates for the Annual SPA intership program assigned units. • Keeps abreast of rapidly changing federal, state, and funding agency policies that impact contracts. Assists the Director with implementing and communicating any resulting policy and procedure changes. • Represents the university through professional organizations by presenting at conferences, mentoring junior research administrators, and participating in programs and committees. • Leads or assists Directors with the design, execution, and effectiveness of a system of internal controls which provides reasonable assurance that operations are effective and efficient, assets are safeguarded, financial information is reliable, and applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures are complied with. • Manages Human Resources activities of the department in regard to recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning. • Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Education: Bachelor's Degree required, Doctorate Degree in Life Sciences or legal preferred. Minimum Experience: 6 years of directly related experience, including three years in a role with supervisory and progressive responsibilities required Physical Requirements: Exerts up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount frequently to move objects. Security Sensitive: This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094. To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position. Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether factors such as criminal history or ongoing connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from maintaining the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4. Residency Requirement: Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.